Blog Archives

King & Spalding’s global energy practice has advised Freeport LNG on the liquefaction tolling agreements for the first of three proposed liquefaction trains to be built near Freeport, Texas, at Freeport LNG’s existing LNG import terminal.

All three trains are expected to be fully subscribed by the end of 2012 and, once completed, will be capable of liquefying approximately 13.2 million tons per annum of natural gas.

Freeport LNG’s liquefaction tolling agreements with Osaka Gas and Chubu Electric Power will cover 100% of the first train’s liquefaction capacity. Subject to regulatory approval and a final investment decision, Osaka Gas and Chubu Electric will each acquire rights to 2.2 million tons per annum production capacity of the first train over an initial 20-year term.

King & Spalding will continue to represent Freeport LNG on the two remaining trains of the liquefaction project, with definitive agreements for both expected before year-end. The firm also represented Freeport LNG on the front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract for the facility earlier this year.

Freeport LNG announced that it had entered into an option agreement to purchase approximately 400 acres of land located about one mile southeast of the city of Oyster Creek near County Road 690 and State Highway 332 in order to relocate the future site of a natural gas pretreatment facility, which is part of Freeport LNG’s overall natural gas liquefaction project.

Freeport LNG originally purchased 500 acres of land located off of CR 792 to use as the site for its natural gas pretreatment facility. However, this property had only one point of ingress and egress (which was shared by a few neighboring communities), was closer to a greater number of residents, and was not behind the surge protection levee (which would have resulted in needing to elevate the site). These limitations led to concerns being raised by nearby residents regarding the aesthetic impact as well as safety concerns regarding ingress and egress, and the limitations of the site presented significant, additional development hurdles to Freeport LNG. Freeport LNG continued to search for other available properties that could alleviate the community’s concerns and the limitations of the CR 792 site. When the new site near County Road 690 and State Highway 332 recently became available, Freeport LNG was able to obtain an option on the property.

While certain requirements must be met before Freeport LNG can utilize the new location, the new site provides Freeport LNG with several benefits over its previously announced site for the pretreatment facility, including: (1) the new location is currently being used for industrial purposes as a fill dirt excavation site (so fewer acres of native ground will be impacted by the development), (2) the new location will be accessible by multiple routes, allowing for more efficient development and operation of the facilities while minimizing the impact of traffic on neighboring homes and businesses, (3) the new location is more remote from current residences and (4) the new site is located behind the surge protection levee, so the elevation will not need to be raised to the same extent as the prior site. In addition, because the facilities would be built at a lower elevation behind the levee, and in an area bordered by substantial woodland and foliage barriers, noise, lighting or other aesthetic impacts of the facilities will be significantly reduced as compared to the prior location.

“The new site is a ‘win-win’ for us to be able to find a location that addresses the concerns of the residents in the area near the prior site, and alleviate certain development limitations with the prior site.” said Mark Mallett, FLNG’s Vice President of Operations and Engineering. “This is a solution to an issue that benefits both the surrounding communities and Freeport LNG.” Freeport LNG’s natural gas liquefaction project is an important investment in the Brazoria County community, involving over $4 billion of direct capital investment in the area, adding over 2,000 local jobs during the project’s four year construction, and adding approximately 180-190 full time positions to Freeport LNG’s operations.

With the proposed relocation of the pretreatment facilities, Mr. Mallett had this to say regarding the prior location of the facilities: “We do not have any permanent plans for the property on County Road 792 at this time. However, we do not plan to build any facilities on it. For now, we plan to retain it as we progress through the permitting process, potentially using it as part of our overall wetland mitigation plan.”

The Freeport LNG natural gas pretreatment facility is necessary to process and treat the incoming natural gas so that it can be transported to Freeport LNG’s Quintana Island Terminal for liquefaction. When the natural gas arrives at the pretreatment facility, it is the same quality natural gas that is used every day by consumers and burned in furnaces, gas stoves and hot water heaters in private homes. However, all natural gas contains very small or trace quantities of impurities that, while unnoticeable and safe in the gas burned in private homes, negatively affect the natural gas liquefaction processes. The purpose of the pretreatment facility is to remove the trace impurities from the natural gas that will be delivered to the LNG Terminal on Quintana Island.

Freeport LNG points out that the natural gas coming into the facility is of the same quality as that delivered to nearby homes but the gas must be further purified before it can be liquefied at its Quintana Island facilities. No liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be present at the pretreatment plant. The types of processes utilized at Freeport LNG’s pretreatment facility are very similar to those processes utilized in numerous gas processing plants in and around Brazoria County.

Pending approval of the liquefaction project by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and other permitting agencies, construction of the Liquefaction Plant and support facilities will begin in mid-2013. “Local residents will continue to have opportunities to be part of the permitting process.” said Mallett. “FERC will be scheduling a public scoping meeting within the next couple of months to discuss the project and provide an opportunity for comments.”

Freeport LNG will continue its work during the upcoming facility design and development phases to prevent or reduce impacts on nearby residents. Environmental stewardship is a hallmark of Freeport LNG’s operations and will be at the center of planning, designing, and decision-making during all phases of the liquefaction project. The company is committed to operating safe and efficient facilities at the pretreatment plant site and will continue to communicate with nearby residents and engage local, state and federal officials as the Project moves forward.

In particular, Freeport LNG is in the preliminary stages of creating a community outreach program for the liquefaction project in order to provide a forum for citizens to meet with Freeport LNG on a regular basis as it progresses the project through the design phase and into construction and operation. Through the permitting processes and its community outreach efforts, Freeport LNG seeks to collaborate with neighbors and local stakeholders in a positive and constructive manner to design and construct the pretreatment facilities while minimizing negative impacts to the local community. If successful, Freeport LNG’s liquefaction project will not only grow Freeport LNG’s business and employee base but will also bring thousands of quality jobs and significant economic benefits to Brazoria County.

Zachry and CB&I will engineer and design a trio of 4.4-million-tonnes-per annum liquefaction trains and corresponding pre-treatment facilities that will be located near the existing Freeport LNG regasification terminal at the Quintana Island terminal near Freeport, Texas.

The two companies will develop a fixed-priced, fixed-schedule proposal within the three-train design for both a one-train initial development and a two-train initial development, Freeport said in a statement.

“This optionality will provide Freeport LNG with the ability to choose the optimum size of the initial phase of the project based upon customer demand and financing considerations,” Freeport said.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

LNG companies like Freeport and Cheniere Energy – which, just a few years ago, were anticipating being net importers of the fuel – are trying to reinvent themselves as exporters in the wake of a gas glut in the US thanks to the shale boom.

Cheniere is well on its way, having secured sales deals and proper permitting to export gas as soon as 2015.

NEW YORK, Sept 22 (Reuters) – The U.S. Freeport liquefied natural gas terminal in Texas is set to re-export another cargo of LNG in the next two weeks to take advantage of higher-paying markets in Asia or Europe, a company representative said on Wednesday.

A tanker is expected to load up and transport LNG overseas at the end of September or beginning of October, said Mark Mallett, Freeport’s vice president of operations and engineering.

The Al Ruwais LNG tanker, which recently offloaded at the Altamira terminal in Mexico, headed north toward Freeport this week and was seen about 100 miles (160 km) from the terminal on Wednesday, according to AISLive ship tracker on Reuters.

“We have received no official notification from our customers if this is the ship, but we expect to load a tanker by early October, maybe in late September,” Mallett said.

This would be the latest in a growing number of re-export deals done since the terminal received approval in May 2009 to import LNG, store it and export later to more attractive markets overseas.

It is a symptom of over-supply in the U.S. gas market and the subsequent weak prices which have deterred shippers from sending much LNG to U.S. terminals this year.

On Thursday, U.S. gas futures, just below $4 per mmBtu, were about $2.80 below British gas prices and about $5 below Asia spot LNG prices, making it profitable for traders to send cargoes to Asia from the U.S. even after shipping costs. <0#NG-NGLNM=R>

The last re-export cargo left Freeport at the beginning of September for Japan in the Excalibur tanker, after Freeport customer ConocoPhillips (COP.N) sold a cargo to Citi Group (C.N). [ID:nN31238805]

Cheniere Energy’s (LNG.A) Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana, which also has re-export capabilities, could make similar use of an empty tanker.

Sabine Pass and Freeport — currently the only U.S. terminals that can re-export LNG — have together exported 9.7 bcf of gas since they received the approval last year, according to Waterborne Energy analysts in Houston. Sempra Energy‘s (SRE.N) Cameron LNG terminal in Louisiana has recently applied for a re-export license.

Cheniere has gone one step further, planning to build a liquefaction plant that would export domestically-produced gas. Freeport LNG is also considering its options in that area, Mallett said. (Reporting by Edward McAllister; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

The Secretary of State for the UK's Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy department issues his backing for the UK's onshore shale gas industry and set out a series of actions to support the sector.

Brazilian oil company Petrobras is looking to farm-out parts of its ownership in four blocks in located in the Deepwater Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, across an exploration area of 44,370 square kilometers . ...

ADES International, a provider of offshore and onshore oil and gas drilling and production services, has secured a new loan from a Saudi bank to finance the acquisition of three jack-ups from Nabors. ...

Australian LNG player Woodside is looking to up the pace on the development of the Scarborough gas field off the country's northwestern coast. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Harvey Gulf International Marine, the New Orleans-based LNG-fueled PSV owner and LNG bunkering pioneer, saw its final plan of reorganization approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

MAN Diesel & Turbo has been selected to provide a complete propulsion package and fuel-gas system for the world’s first fishing vessel with LNG propulsion. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have called for public comments on the Jordan Cove Energy project proposed for the North Spit of Coos Bay near... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The Fluxys-operated Zeebrugge liquefied natural gas terminal is scheduled to host five LNG carriers over the next 15 days. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Oslo-based Awilco LNG, the owner of two 156,000-cbm LNG carriers, reported a profit of $1 million in the first quarter of this year as compared to a loss of $31.8 million in the comparable period... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Russian giant Gazprom and its Japanese partner Mitsui discussed the progress of its small- and mid-scale LNG cooperation. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

You are probably aware of the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that will come into effect on May 25th. In a nutshell, it means your personal data will be better protected, hence... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

You are probably aware of the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that will come into effect on May 25, 2018. In a nutshell it means your personal data will be better protected, hence... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Nautilus Minerals has completed the first trial of its newly-developed autonomous sediment sampler. The insect-inspired creation is dubbed the “Nautilus Jumping Spider” and resembling its animal... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Impact Subsea has appointed Craig Thorburn as operations manager, who will be responsible for product production and customer support. Craig will be based at the Impact Subsea headquarters in... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Unmanned Survey Solutions’ new Accession Class unmanned surface vessels (USVs) have been given the green light following the funding from Marine-i Marine Challenge Fund, supported by the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Nord Stream 2, the developer of the twin pipeline to supply Russian natural gas to the EU market, released 90,000 young Atlantic salmon as compensation for potential temporary damage to fisheries... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Gulf of Mexico-focused vessel operator Harvey Gulf International Marine has been granted approval for its ﬁnal Plan of Reorganization by the United States Bankruptcy Court. The approval comes just 77... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has appointed Terry Makewell to the position of chief technology officer. According to UKHO, this appointment will support it in delivering its vision of becoming... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Aquaterra Energy has made two senior management promotions to spearhead its continued growth strategy. George Morrison becomes group CEO of parent company Aquaterra Energy Group, while James Larnder... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Minesto has completed the installation of the micro grid system (MGS) buoy that will be used for the company’s first tidal energy installation in Holyhead Deep, Wales. Moored to the seabed using... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Tymor Marine has appointed Matthew Heyman as business development manager of the company. Matthew has over twenty years maritime industry experience with companies including Wilhelmsen, Maersk and... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Statoil’s active leases in the Gulf of Mexico

Scientists now think there could be microscopic life floating in the clouds of Venus. Their theory is surprising, considering how inhospitable the surface of Venus is. But in the clouds, the possibility of life is very real. Following is a transcript of the video. Despite decades of searching distant planets and stars for alien life we’re still empty-handed. […]

Childbirth is an amazing process. But unless you've witnessed or experienced it, you might not realize just how powerful the moment can be. That's why there are birth photos, which show people what the process is like — and prove that there is no one way for a woman to give birth. To celebrate birth and the photographers that capture it, the Intern […]

A big new European privacy regulation called GDPR goes into effect on May 25. But, because the internet crosses borders, many of their protections apply to people around the world, including Americans. GDPR says internet companies need to ask their customers for permission to use their data in a clear and understandable way. That's why you're gett […]

The median US home value rose 8.7% year-over-year in April to $215,600, the fastest increase since 2006, according to Zillow data. San Jose, Las Vegas, and Seattle were the cities that saw the biggest increase over the period. Homes in the US haven't been this valuable since before the financial crisis. That's according to new data from Zillow, whi […]

Gifts made to commemorate the summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jung Un are now being sold for a discount at the White House gift shop. Trump cancelled the meeting this morning. The gifts were made to complement a coin made by the White House that went viral earlier this week. People started joking about it as soon as the cancellatio […]

Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said the company's board is no longer fighting for control after he proposed a new structure last October. His proposals curtailed former CEO Travis Kalanick's voting power. He said fixing Uber's governance was his first job as CEO, and that he then moved onto company culture and strategy. Khosrowshahi co […]

AirlineRatings.com recently surveyed its readers to find out which types of passengers people find most annoying on a plane. Of the more than 5,300 people who responded to the survey, 78% found people who smell bad to be the worst passengers to be around. Other types of passengers to make the top 10 include out of control kids and people who bring too many c […]

Eight women accused Morgan Freeman of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior in a CNN report published Thursday. The accusers included CNN reporter Chloe Melas, the coauthor of CNN's report, who alleged that Freeman subjected her to inappropriate comments about her appearance at a press junket. Altogether, CNN spoke to 16 people who "describe […]

President Donald Trump's cancellation of the planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly caught South Korea's president by surprise, and he's called an emergency meeting at midnight, local time. It looks like Trump didn't tell anyone before he decided to pull out of the summit. President Donald Trump's cancellatio […]

Mary Beth Buchanan, a former federal prosecutor appointed by President George W. Bush, has been hired by crypto exchange Kraken, according to people familiar with the matter. The regulatory environment has been murky for companies like Kraken given the nascent nature of the crypto market. Notably, the US has reportedly opened a criminal probe into market m […]

Authored by Kevin Muir via The Macro Tourist blog, It’s now cool to be bearish bonds. A couple of years ago you were labeled a pariah for even suggesting inflation might pick up. The few of us that argued locking in 10-year money at 1.4% wasn’t a good risk reward supposedly didn’t understand the overwhelming three Ds - debt, demographics and deflation. Yeah, […]

Two days ago, when looking at the ongoing turmoil gripping the Italian market, where the imminent formation of a populist, Euroskeptic government with a penchant for spending and threatening to impose a "parallel currency", the "Mini-BoT" has sent Italian yields soaring to the highest level in years, we noted something more troubling not […]

Authored by Amity blog via Safehaven.com, In early November, while Bitcoin enthusiasts and investors were waiting for a long-anticipated update to the software that supports the famous digital currency, a mass email from the group behind the project informed everyone that they were canceling the update. For months, Segwit2x, as the update was called, was at […]

Having been a dollar bull for several months, Bloomberg's Mark Cudmore now thinks it's about time for the long-term dollar downtrend to resume. All the key drivers of strength have run their course and it's more likely that the marginal developments from here will weigh on the dollar... Via Bloomberg, After rising more than 4% in the last five […]

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) fired off a letter to the Department of Justice Wednesday demanding unredacted versions of text messages between FBI agent Peter Strzok and former bureau attorney Lisa Page, including one exchange which took place after Strzok had returned from London as part of the recently launched "Operation C […]

Update: Trump said that while he hopes that talks will lead to a favorable outcome, the US military is remains ready to act if necessary. The comments represent a return to the menacing Trump rhetoric of last year. Trump added that the talks could still take place as originally planned. *TRUMP SAYS CANCELLATION OF KIM SUMMIT BASED ON KIM'S STATEMENTS *T […]

Authored by Tho Bishop via The Mises Institute, Nicolás Maduro may have received more votes in Venezuela’s recent presidential election, but the record-low voter turnout is widely seen as its own form of protest against his increasingly oppressive socialist regime. So as long as Maduro’s government controls the voting process, his opponents will continue to […]

In the second round of sanctions announced this week, the Treasury Department on Thursday said it would impose sanctions on several Iranian and Turkish companies, as well as aircraft connected to those companies, in a move that targets four Iranian airlines. The sanctions were levied against nine individuals and entities for "procuring export-controlled […]

Having collapsed this morning following a profit warning (and mass layoffs) this morning, we suspect the following chart will start to send Deutsche Bank counterparties scrambling for protection... With a market cap of just over $21 billion now, Deutsche Bank - the once most systemically-dangerous bank in the world, and German darling - is now smaller than.. […]

One month ago we reported how, three years after a historic "fat finger" wire transfer in which Deutsche Bank mistakenly sent $6 billion to a (briefly) lucky hedge fund, a routine payment at the biggest German bank "went awry" (or as Bloomberg said at the time, "was flubbed") when the bank "mistakenly" sent 28 billion […]